Steve%20Orbanek Archive

It was a rough week for the Cleveland Indians as the team went 2-5 and lost several games that they probably should have won. The Indians are now 27-22 and trail the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central. The Tribe is now in desperate need of a victory thanks to its poor performance over the past week, and the team will look to turn things around beginning today. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he looks back at the week that was in his weekly IBI staple, Notes from the Wigwam.

All four of the Indians' minor league affiliates were in action on Saturday, and perhaps no two players stood out more than the team's past two first round picks, Tyler Naquin and Francisco Lindor. Both players collected three hits to lead the Mudcats on the evening. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps their performances and more as he takes you Around the Farm.

Three out of four Indians' minor league affiliates were in action on Friday night, and there was plenty of action to recap. Akron Aeros left-hander Matt Packer was among the night's most impressive performers as he pitched seven shutout innings and struck out 10 to lead the Aeros. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps Packer's performance and more as he takes you Around the Farm.

Few Cleveland Indians players have been as consistent as Michael Brantley this season as the left-landed hitter has provided quality offense and defense in almost every game he's played. With his value now at an all-time high, should the Indians now be exploring a contract extension? Also, how much would the Indians have to spend to extend Brantley? Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he tackles both these questions in the weekly IBI staple, Orbiting Cleveland.

The wins continue to roll in for the Cleveland Indians, who currently sport a 26-17 record and sit atop the American League Central. Jason Kipnis, Justin Masterson and Yan Gomes all had strong performances during the past week, and the Tribe currently brings plenty of momentum into its two-game series with the Detroit Tigers, which begins tonight. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he looks back at the week that was in the weekly IBI staple, Notes from the Wigwam.

On Monday, the Cleveland Indians sent third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall down to Triple-A Columbus. The move came across as somewhat surprising, but should it have been? Chisenhall has struggled mightily so far in his Major League career, so maybe we should have all seen it coming. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he looks back at Chisenhall and his demotion in this week's edition of Orbiting Cleveland.

It was quite a week for the Cleveland Indians as the Tribe completed a four-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics and then took two out of three from the reigning American League Champions, the Detroit Tigers. Pitching and offense both played key roles in the team's strong week, and the IBI's Steve Orbanek recaps all of the action in the weekly IBI staple, Notes from the Wigwam.

There was plenty of action to recap Saturday night in the various Indians minor league affiliates. Carlos Carrasco and Dylan Baker both had impressive starting pitching performances for their respective clubs while Cord Phelps continued to show signs that he could be coming around at the plate. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps all the action and takes you Around the Farm.

The Indians have gone 10-1 in their last 11 games and are now in the thick of the American League Central race. Offense has played a huge role in the hot streak, but pitching has been equally impressive. With the rotation impressing, how do Trevor Bauer, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar fit into the Indians' 2013 plans? Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he looks at the rotation and tackles that question in the latest edition of the weekly IBI staple, Orbiting Cleveland.

It was a quiet night in the Indians' farm system as the Columbus Clippers were rained out and the Carolina Mudcats were off. However, there was still plenty of action to recap as Ryan Merritt pitched an impressive contest for the Captains, and Chun-Hsiu Chen continued to show that he may have regained his power stroke. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps their performances and more as he takes you Around the Farm.

It's been a great week for the Cleveland Indians as the Tribe went 5-1 to get back to .500 at 14-14 and move into third place in the AL Central. Ryan Raburn was scorching hot at the plate as he went 11-for-13 across a three-game span to lead the Tribe. Trevor Bauer also made his return this past week, and it appears as if he now could be on his way back... and for good. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps the week that was in the weekly IBI staple, Notes from the Wigwam.

Jim and Steve return to the cyber airwaves tonight with the latest edition of CSI: Cleveland Sports Insiders. There will be plenty of Indians talk tonight as the team has been scorching hot as of late, and the guys will also look look at potential draft targets for the Cavaliers. Plus, what about the Browns, and the team's chances of contending next year? Jim and Steve will discuss all of this tonight beginning at 9 p.m.

The Indians' bats have awoke over the past four games as the team has outscored opponents 39-5 and gone 4-0 in the process. Everyone from Ryan Raburn to Michael Brantley has been on a tear offensively, and it seems as if the Indians' offense has finally turned the corner... Or has it? Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he looks back at this four-game winning streak and offers his take on what it could mean for the Indians in the latest edition of Orbiting Cleveland.

The offensive woes continued for the Indians this past week as the team went 2-3 and averaged only 1.33 runs per game in their three losses. There were some positives though as Carlos Santana continued to rake, and Mike Aviles showed why he's such a valuable member of the team's bench. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps all of the action from the past week in the latest edition of Notes from the Wigwam.

Week two of Cleveland Sports Insiders commences tonight as Jim and Steve are back with an analysis of the Cleveland Browns' 2013 draft. The two will also touch on Mike Brown's return to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers as well as the continued struggles of the Cleveland Indians. Be sure to tune in tonight at 9 p.m. to not miss a minute of the weekly IBI radio staple.

After pulling his hamstring early this season, LeVon Washington is now healthy, and it showed Saturday. The outfielder recorded five hits in an impressive performance for the Lake County Captains. Also, Francisco Lindor continued his great start as he enjoyed a three-hit performance for the Mudcats. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps these performances and more as he takes you Around the Farm.

The Indians' record sits at 8-11, and the team has still been unable to get on a consistent roll. The starting pitching staff has been up-and-down, and the team's offense has unfortunately been maddeningly inconsistent. Could it be possible that the team's 25-man roster needs some tweaking? And are there any tweaks that could actually lead to an improved team? Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he ponders that thought in this week's edition of Orbiting Cleveland.

The Indians' offense has struggled significantly in the early going of the 2013 season, yet the team scored 26 runs in three games over the past weekend en route to a series win over the Houston Astros. Was this past weekend's performance just smoke and mirrors, or could the team's offense be ready to hit its stride? Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he ponders that thought in his weekly notebook, Notes from the Wigwam.

There was plenty of action within the Indians' system on Saturday as two teams took part in doubleheaders, and all four minor league affiliates were in action. Starting pitchers Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco both had arguably their most impressive starts of the season so far, and Lake County first baseman Nelson Rodriguez continued to impress. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps all the action and takes you Around the Farm.

Ubaldo Jimenez had arguably his darkest day as a member of the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday as he allowed seven runs in less than two innings of work. With their record at 5-9, the Indians have gotten off to a less than stellar start and a big part of that has been Jimenez. With Jimenez's struggles, should the Indians be exploring alternative options right now? Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he ponders that thought in the latest edition of the weekly IBI staple, Orbiting Cleveland.

Available IBI Books

The 2014 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider book featuring the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is now available. Also, previous editions from 2008-2012 are also available at a discounted rate. Just click on the book image for more information. Thanks again for all the support!